Rising water level in Satluj damages wheat crop in 600 acres

Nearly 600 acres of standing wheat crop in the district has been damaged due to sudden rise in the level of Satluj river, downstream Harike headworks.

Agricultural land in more than 10 villages, most of them situated along the river close to India-Pakistan border, have been inundated by the overflowing Satluj, though no loss to life has been reported so far.

Farmers of these villages, who have not yet recovered from the devastation caused by floods in Satluj in August last year, have thus to again face the fury of river due to sudden discharge of water from Harike headworks by the irrigation department.

The affected farmers alleged that water level in Satluj in these villages was steadily rising for the last few days.

It may be mentioned here that a few years back, the state government had allotted thousands of acres of land falling within the embankments of Satluj in Ferozepur and Moga districts to farmers, who were tilling it for the past many decades.

Asked about reasons for sudden rise in the water levels, Balwinder Singh, executive engineer, Harike headworks, said that due to closure of Bikaner canal for some repair work, supply of water to the canal had been snapped from Mallanwala feeder. To keep the required level of water at Harike headworks, nearly 4,000 cusecs of water per day was being released downstream Harike headworks in Satluj, added Singh.

"Closure of Bikaner canal was for a period of 40 days, but it will remain in effect for another 30 days," he said.

On the other hand, Dr S Karuna Raju, deputy commissioner, Ferozepur, said there was some damage to the barrage gate, which has led to release of nearly 5,000 cusecs of water downstream.